Ok Brian here. Arrived a few hours ago and are in pretty good shape. Steve (UK) and Steve (Canada) are here and we had a very short meeting with Brian and Graeme from Australia just as we arrived in our hotel. Stephen and Beth are due in about another hour. It will be great to get the team assembled and get to work figuring out where God is leading.
The two Steves and I went out for a walk this afternoon. From the hotel past the independence monument towards the river to the Cambodiana and then up to the waterfront to the Royal palace and back to the hotel. Don’t know how much fluid I lost but your really do forget how hot it can get here.
As far as the travel here goes it was fine. Better than I expected. Leaving the house is always the hardest. I go around each bedroom saying goodbye to Louise and the boys all fast asleep. At this point I find myself wondering “is all of this worth it” “why has God afflicted me with this drive for Cambodia”. Once I get over that part I’m Ok - I just hate leaving.
Our flight did not leave Vancouver till close to 3am so we were bagged before we got going. At about hour 3 of the 13 hour flight I was so tired I felt ill – hate that. But after a time that passed and I seemed to get into the groove as I always do.By the time I got on the plane in Hong Kong for the last leg of the journey I was excited – as always.
Haven’t a clue what God has done to my heart but it is the same every time, no mater how fatigued I just feel wonderful getting close to Cambodia. By the time I get my first glimpse of the country through the clouds I am sitting like a total idiot grinning for no apparent reason. By this stage I am thanking God for the privilege of once again setting foot in this land that will forever be sacred to me.
Later…Stephen and Beth arrived fine we all went out for supper near the hotel. Got half way through the meal and sleep deprivation kicked in the worst way. Tomorrow meeting with IJM staff.
Now to bed. Brian.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Expect The Unexpected
Today is a new day and after yesterday's emotional rollercoast experience I am not at all deterred but all the more thankful to God. Many of you have been praying and following the story about SN for the last few weeks, praying for her safety and protection. Just to recap, yesterday we thought she was really safe...but as I did a double check on the facts it turned out that she was not completely safe humanely speaking. But in a sense she is safe. Perhaps this is why I have so much peace in my heart today. She is in the safest place and that is under the shelter of the Almighty. I was so moved by many who emailed responding with cheers and words of encouragement...friends who have prayed for this little girl's protection. It made me realize more than anything else that God is using SN's life to bless us in the most unusual ways. For each of those who have prayed and continue to pray are the invisible army who stand or in some cases who are bowing their hearts and their knees before the Lord of the universe pleading on her behalf. This is just another dimension of what it means to seek justice for the oppressed. To perserve in prayer and to have the resolve to not give up. Whether we realize it or not, He is knitting our hearts with hers. He is knitting our hearts with the things that are on His heart. He is drawing us deeper into His purposes and for that there is much to be thankful for.
This morning in my quiet time, I was meditating on 1 Corinthians 15:58 which says: Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. To seek justice on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves involves standing firm, not being troubled by the visible reality but having the resolve to give ourselves fully to that which God has called us to do knowing that when we are laboring for Him we are indeed not laboring in vain. The fact that SN is still in Svay Pak is indeed a cause for concern, but more and more, as we wait for her to truly be safe, to truly live a life free of fear and free of oppression, God is raising up a community of believers to pray and in the process, He is enlarging His army and enlarging our faith, our trust and causing us to lean on Him in ways that we are not normally used to. This journey is not just about SN's life but it is also about our lives. I am learning that He is teaching me (and perhaps others) to live on the edge, to expect the unexpected, to accept the twists and turns as we labor for Him and for His purposes. To not yield to the visible reality, but to rest in Him and to wait patiently in Him. Psalm 37 has become one of my life verses for this cause for as it says 'commit your ways; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.' So let us not grow weary but keep commiting our ways to Him--- commit to intercede, to not forget these who He holds so dear in His heart, commit to press on with hope in Him, commit to speaking up for the voiceless and as we do, indeed we will have the privilege of experiencing and seeing the justice of the Lord.
A friend of mind once said to me the journey is the destination. This is the journey that He has called us to. It is a journey that has many tears but it also is a journey that has inexpressible joy, a term that my dear colleague Brian shared with me yesterday. For some strange reason God has given me an inexpressible joy as I think of SN. Regardless of the uncertainty that she lives under at this moment, regardless of the uncertainty that we may feel at this time, I happen to believe that God has set her apart as His, I happen to believe that its just a matter of time when she will enjoy a life of true freedom, I happen to believe that despite these times of waiting, He is weaving something that when finished will bring Himself glory and make us more like His Son as we persevere in obedience to Him. But for now He has given to me (and to others) a very special treasure --- to love her as if she were our own daughter and to allow our hearts to be stretched to a new level of faith. So let us walk with eyes of faith for without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)
This morning in my quiet time, I was meditating on 1 Corinthians 15:58 which says: Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. To seek justice on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves involves standing firm, not being troubled by the visible reality but having the resolve to give ourselves fully to that which God has called us to do knowing that when we are laboring for Him we are indeed not laboring in vain. The fact that SN is still in Svay Pak is indeed a cause for concern, but more and more, as we wait for her to truly be safe, to truly live a life free of fear and free of oppression, God is raising up a community of believers to pray and in the process, He is enlarging His army and enlarging our faith, our trust and causing us to lean on Him in ways that we are not normally used to. This journey is not just about SN's life but it is also about our lives. I am learning that He is teaching me (and perhaps others) to live on the edge, to expect the unexpected, to accept the twists and turns as we labor for Him and for His purposes. To not yield to the visible reality, but to rest in Him and to wait patiently in Him. Psalm 37 has become one of my life verses for this cause for as it says 'commit your ways; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.' So let us not grow weary but keep commiting our ways to Him--- commit to intercede, to not forget these who He holds so dear in His heart, commit to press on with hope in Him, commit to speaking up for the voiceless and as we do, indeed we will have the privilege of experiencing and seeing the justice of the Lord.
A friend of mind once said to me the journey is the destination. This is the journey that He has called us to. It is a journey that has many tears but it also is a journey that has inexpressible joy, a term that my dear colleague Brian shared with me yesterday. For some strange reason God has given me an inexpressible joy as I think of SN. Regardless of the uncertainty that she lives under at this moment, regardless of the uncertainty that we may feel at this time, I happen to believe that God has set her apart as His, I happen to believe that its just a matter of time when she will enjoy a life of true freedom, I happen to believe that despite these times of waiting, He is weaving something that when finished will bring Himself glory and make us more like His Son as we persevere in obedience to Him. But for now He has given to me (and to others) a very special treasure --- to love her as if she were our own daughter and to allow our hearts to be stretched to a new level of faith. So let us walk with eyes of faith for without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)
Friday, August 28, 2009
Another Ratanak Team Going To Cambodia
Many of you have been following this blog over the past few months. In the next few days you will get a change of writers. My colleague Brian McConaghy, the founder of The Ratanak Foundation is leaving for Cambodia this weekend along with a few others who have 'joined' the Ratanak family. These include one of our board members from Canada---Steve F., then there is our Ratanak rep in the U.K, Steve N. who like Brian is a policeman and then there is Stephan and Beth, long term missionaries who have worked with mission organizations in Africa on several projects related to the poor and the oppressed. Stephan and Beth are now 'official' Ratanak partners. None of these have ever been to Cambodia before so it will be great to hear their perspectives as they see Cambodia with fresh new eyes. Joining this group will be Graham from Australia who has been to Cambodia several times and knows many of the people we have worked with. It is exciting to see how God is orchestrating various people to be a part of His work in Cambodia.
These guys will be spending time learning about various Ratanak projects. Please remember them in prayer as they will be in Cambodia from August 31 to September 13th.
In the mean time, some of my future blogging musings may be found on my own personal blog called: Child of God
These guys will be spending time learning about various Ratanak projects. Please remember them in prayer as they will be in Cambodia from August 31 to September 13th.
In the mean time, some of my future blogging musings may be found on my own personal blog called: Child of God
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Silence is not an option!
These are the words that are resonating in my spirit today as I am worshipping the Lord. Truly silence is not an option now that we know that there are children being sold this very moment.
Silence is not an option, when we say God break our hearts with the things that break your heart and yet we guard our hearts from feeling the pain and suffering of those who are broken.
Silence is not an option when we ask God to see the things that He does and then we refuse to look into the darkness
Silence is not an option when we ask God to be more like Him and then we put conditions on how we will serve Him and what we will do for Him.
Silence is not an option when we ask God 'bless me' and yet we refuse to be a blessing to those who He brings into our sphere of influence
Silence is not an option, when we hear the cries of those who are suffering and we close our ears and tune out because it is too unbearable for us.
Thank you to many who have chosen to not remain silence. Who have chosen to speak by taking the first step of entering into the darkness, to face it head on in all its ugliness, to wrestle with their emotions and questions to God. As we raise our voices in unison, as we speak up on behalf of the oppressed, we discover that God is using the marginalized to enlarge our hearts, deepen our faith and teach us a whole new way of 'loving our neighbor.' Ministry as my pastor once said is not our gift to God, it is God's gift to us---in ministering to the poor, the broken, the voiceless and the oppressed, God deepens within each of us the gift of compassion, the gift of tenderness, the gift of solidarity, the gift of understanding, the gift of hope, the gift of strength, the gift of patience, the gift of endurance, the gift of faith and most importantly the gift of love which leads us to always trust, always persevere and never give up and not remain silent despite the overwhelming odds and obstacles.
Silence is not an option, when we say God break our hearts with the things that break your heart and yet we guard our hearts from feeling the pain and suffering of those who are broken.
Silence is not an option when we ask God to see the things that He does and then we refuse to look into the darkness
Silence is not an option when we ask God to be more like Him and then we put conditions on how we will serve Him and what we will do for Him.
Silence is not an option when we ask God 'bless me' and yet we refuse to be a blessing to those who He brings into our sphere of influence
Silence is not an option, when we hear the cries of those who are suffering and we close our ears and tune out because it is too unbearable for us.
Thank you to many who have chosen to not remain silence. Who have chosen to speak by taking the first step of entering into the darkness, to face it head on in all its ugliness, to wrestle with their emotions and questions to God. As we raise our voices in unison, as we speak up on behalf of the oppressed, we discover that God is using the marginalized to enlarge our hearts, deepen our faith and teach us a whole new way of 'loving our neighbor.' Ministry as my pastor once said is not our gift to God, it is God's gift to us---in ministering to the poor, the broken, the voiceless and the oppressed, God deepens within each of us the gift of compassion, the gift of tenderness, the gift of solidarity, the gift of understanding, the gift of hope, the gift of strength, the gift of patience, the gift of endurance, the gift of faith and most importantly the gift of love which leads us to always trust, always persevere and never give up and not remain silent despite the overwhelming odds and obstacles.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
August Newsletter
Dear Family & Friends
It’s been just over a couple weeks since we’ve been back from Cambodia but my heart and emotions still seem to be in Asia. This is a normal aspect of the re-entry process that we are called to embrace. In many ways, it is the most difficult part of any mission experience because it is a time to be still, to listen and to wait on the Lord for another chapter to enfold. Nonetheless, as I reflect on our journey, there is much to give thanks to God for. I especially thank Him for each of you who have sown so generously into our lives. Because of you, we experienced His faithfulness in providing for all the needs of our team---whether it was your prayers for us, whether it was the financial resources given, whether it was your words of encouragement, whether it was your support at the Our Thai Fundraiser, whether it was your gifts for the Cambodians, God blessed us way beyond what we could imagine. He indeed was not only watching over us, but time and time again, we saw His hand directing our steps and giving us opportunities to encounter Him through the poor, the oppressed and the broken. So on behalf of the team, thank you for your investment of time, energy and resources to stand in the gap not only for us but for the people and children in Cambodia. This service that you perform not only supplied the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.(2 Corinthians 9:12)
Jesus In the Least of These
This year’s trip, the verse that seemed to reverberate in my soul was from 2 Corinthians 12:9. “For my power is made perfect in weakness." Each time I visit Cambodia, it is the weak and vulnerable that God uses to speak to my heart. For it is in their vulnerability, my vulnerability is revealed. In their brokenness, I am forced to confront mine, in their helplessness, I see my own. This is not about dwelling on the pain and suffering of others but rather gaining understanding about an aspect of ‘the cross’ that we so often seek to avoid. For the cross of Christ challenges us to enter into the suffering of the world in all its darkness, hopelessness and pain, yet it is the cross of Jesus that also reminds us that where there is brokenness, there can be wholeness, where there is despair there can be joy, where there is ugliness, there can be beauty, where there is rejection, there can be acceptance. It is in the spending time with the ‘least of these’ I find Jesus and discover that His power is made perfect in weakness. What do I mean by this?
Jesus With The Rejected
At a tender age of 4 days old, baby Bayana who I met at Daughters experienced rejection. Because of her disabilities (she was diagnosed with spina bifida and had club feet) she was rejected first by her parents and then by a pediatric hospital where the doctors suggested to her parents to just take her home and let her die. But Jesus is on the side of the rejected and one phone call and a few hours later, baby Bayana was ushered into a whole new world; a world where her weakness became her strength, a world, where new opportunities and new hope arose. She was given a new name, Neang Rua (which means ‘Ruth’ but also ‘live’), ‘adopted’ by Place of Rescue run by my dear friend Marie Ens and was sent back to the very pediatric hospital where she was initially rejected and is now receiving treatment for each of her ailments. As Marie said, God has a plan for Neang Rua’s life. Yes Jesus’s power made perfect in the weakness of the abandoned. Though the world may reject Neang Rua, He accepts her just as she is. Though the world may want to write off Neang Rua, God has engraved her on the palm of His hand. Though the world may want to forget her, He has not, for He has created her for such a time as this!
Jesus With The Oppressed
But Jesus was not only present to rescue a helpless babe, for He was standing in the midst of one who continues to live a life of oppression as I thought of a former sex worker from Daughters Cambodia, whose tears were a visible reminder of the pain that she endured each day. The violence against her has been transferred from the brothel to her home where she experiences daily beatings from her husband. In one of our seminars, she came forward for prayer, she could barely look up, her body language, a reflection of the downcast spirit within. How does one possibly offer hope to one who is so crushed? I asked her what her name was and asked if she would look into my eyes. I began to tell her that Jesus sees her pain. He knows what she goes through each day, He hears the cries of her heart. He is not a God who is distant but who cares what happens to her and He will rescue her because He loves her. She began to cry and so did I. There is something special in having the privilege of sharing in another person’s suffering, in sharing their pain and helping them to know they are not alone; that we stand in solidarity with them just as Jesus does. I wanted her to know how much she was loved and valued as a human being. That day, she laid her pain at the foot of the cross trusting that God could make something beautiful out of her brokenness. That day she stepped out in faith choosing to believe that God’s power is made perfect in her weakness. That day, I prayed that she saw the loving gaze of Christ, offering her hope that a new day was coming in her life.
Jesus With The Exploited
Svay Pak, the village 11km outside of Phnom Penh notorious for being the pedophile’s paradise is a place where strangely I have come to experience God’s love through the little ones I reconnected with from last year. For it was here that I was confronted with the reality of the statistic that 80% to 100% of the girls in this community are trafficked. Such was the case one Saturday when I learned that within 24 hours one of my little “daughters” was going to be taken to a brothel up north owned by her parents. She had come to the sanctuary of the Lord—Rahab’s House asking for help from the pastor. This time she did not want to go for she knew the fate that awaited her. Each time she had been previously and returned, Pastor Chantha had to take her to a medical clinic for treatment. It is here that both my fear and faith collided. Fear as I thought of the ‘worse’, tears welling up in my eyes, as I sat with her and others, yet ‘faith in Christ’ as we prayed and pleaded for God to intervene. For the first time in my life I felt compelled to fast for the life of this precious one that evening. God’s word to me over night was ‘don’t worry she will be okay.’ Indeed the next day I saw her at the Sunday school program and gave her my cross necklace not only as a symbol of my love for her but more importantly, as a symbol that Christ loves her and that He would never leave her nor forsake her. Praise God, as of this writing she is still safe. Her grandmother who attends Rahab’s House church had refused to let her go, but the tension remains. She remains ‘at risk’ of being sold for sadly she is a ‘favorite’ in the pedophile catalogue. What is it like for a child to live under such a cloud of darkness? I have no answers to this question, but through this process, I am reminded that to love the way Jesus loves, is costly—for it demands that we persevere with an enduring hope despite the visible reality, trusting that in the invisible reality, Christ will be faithful to His promises of protecting the defenseless so that one day, they will terrify no more.
Jesus With The Redeemed
But all is not dark and dismal. For God also is in the business of restoring the years the locusts have eaten from those who have experienced years of sexual slavery. Such was my encounter with 3 of the former victims of the first ever convicted Canadian pedophile/sex tourist Donald Bakker. These special ones are now under the care of a Foster care program that Ratanak funds in Cambodia. I had the awesome privilege of spending a few hours with them, celebrating their birthdays, asking them about their hopes and dreams for the future. They are all believers, doing things that any teenager would do—enjoying junk food, going to youth camp, posing with their favorite stuffed animals, giggling and laughing as they each shared their hopes of being a lawyer, a hip hop instructor, or a business woman. But I was struck by their spiritual maturity as one of them prayed for us and asked that God would use the words that we had prayed for them to touch their hearts deeply. Their story and journey demonstrates the power of Christ to heal, to bind up wounds, to set free and to release new hope and new life. In them, I see evidences of God’s grace restoring and redeeming shattered lives.
Indeed each of these stories are reminders that the oppressed and the brokenhearted will continue to call us out of our comfortable apathy and indifference, just as Christ himself calls us to set aside all that entangles and follow after Him. It is an emotional roller coaster with bitter and sweet moments intertwined, but the poor and the downcast are in need of hope and justice; they need mercy, they need love, they need to know that someone cares, they need to know that they matter and they need our time, even as Jesus seems to tell us that it is we who need their time. For in gaining a glimpse of their darkness, in spending time with them, I become more keenly aware of the words that Henri Nouwen once penned: In these suffering bodies of people we must be able to recognize the suffering Christ. They too are chosen, blessed, broken and given to the world. As we call one another to respond to the cries of these people and work together for justice and peace, we are caring for Christ, who suffered and died for the salvation of our world." In each one of them we not only see Jesus in disguise, but it is the poor and needy who teach us how to love Christ even more. In the cup of cold water delivered to the least of these, He is there among us demonstrating that His power indeed is made perfect in weakness.
It’s been just over a couple weeks since we’ve been back from Cambodia but my heart and emotions still seem to be in Asia. This is a normal aspect of the re-entry process that we are called to embrace. In many ways, it is the most difficult part of any mission experience because it is a time to be still, to listen and to wait on the Lord for another chapter to enfold. Nonetheless, as I reflect on our journey, there is much to give thanks to God for. I especially thank Him for each of you who have sown so generously into our lives. Because of you, we experienced His faithfulness in providing for all the needs of our team---whether it was your prayers for us, whether it was the financial resources given, whether it was your words of encouragement, whether it was your support at the Our Thai Fundraiser, whether it was your gifts for the Cambodians, God blessed us way beyond what we could imagine. He indeed was not only watching over us, but time and time again, we saw His hand directing our steps and giving us opportunities to encounter Him through the poor, the oppressed and the broken. So on behalf of the team, thank you for your investment of time, energy and resources to stand in the gap not only for us but for the people and children in Cambodia. This service that you perform not only supplied the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.(2 Corinthians 9:12)
Jesus In the Least of These
This year’s trip, the verse that seemed to reverberate in my soul was from 2 Corinthians 12:9. “For my power is made perfect in weakness." Each time I visit Cambodia, it is the weak and vulnerable that God uses to speak to my heart. For it is in their vulnerability, my vulnerability is revealed. In their brokenness, I am forced to confront mine, in their helplessness, I see my own. This is not about dwelling on the pain and suffering of others but rather gaining understanding about an aspect of ‘the cross’ that we so often seek to avoid. For the cross of Christ challenges us to enter into the suffering of the world in all its darkness, hopelessness and pain, yet it is the cross of Jesus that also reminds us that where there is brokenness, there can be wholeness, where there is despair there can be joy, where there is ugliness, there can be beauty, where there is rejection, there can be acceptance. It is in the spending time with the ‘least of these’ I find Jesus and discover that His power is made perfect in weakness. What do I mean by this?
Jesus With The Rejected
At a tender age of 4 days old, baby Bayana who I met at Daughters experienced rejection. Because of her disabilities (she was diagnosed with spina bifida and had club feet) she was rejected first by her parents and then by a pediatric hospital where the doctors suggested to her parents to just take her home and let her die. But Jesus is on the side of the rejected and one phone call and a few hours later, baby Bayana was ushered into a whole new world; a world where her weakness became her strength, a world, where new opportunities and new hope arose. She was given a new name, Neang Rua (which means ‘Ruth’ but also ‘live’), ‘adopted’ by Place of Rescue run by my dear friend Marie Ens and was sent back to the very pediatric hospital where she was initially rejected and is now receiving treatment for each of her ailments. As Marie said, God has a plan for Neang Rua’s life. Yes Jesus’s power made perfect in the weakness of the abandoned. Though the world may reject Neang Rua, He accepts her just as she is. Though the world may want to write off Neang Rua, God has engraved her on the palm of His hand. Though the world may want to forget her, He has not, for He has created her for such a time as this!
Jesus With The Oppressed
But Jesus was not only present to rescue a helpless babe, for He was standing in the midst of one who continues to live a life of oppression as I thought of a former sex worker from Daughters Cambodia, whose tears were a visible reminder of the pain that she endured each day. The violence against her has been transferred from the brothel to her home where she experiences daily beatings from her husband. In one of our seminars, she came forward for prayer, she could barely look up, her body language, a reflection of the downcast spirit within. How does one possibly offer hope to one who is so crushed? I asked her what her name was and asked if she would look into my eyes. I began to tell her that Jesus sees her pain. He knows what she goes through each day, He hears the cries of her heart. He is not a God who is distant but who cares what happens to her and He will rescue her because He loves her. She began to cry and so did I. There is something special in having the privilege of sharing in another person’s suffering, in sharing their pain and helping them to know they are not alone; that we stand in solidarity with them just as Jesus does. I wanted her to know how much she was loved and valued as a human being. That day, she laid her pain at the foot of the cross trusting that God could make something beautiful out of her brokenness. That day she stepped out in faith choosing to believe that God’s power is made perfect in her weakness. That day, I prayed that she saw the loving gaze of Christ, offering her hope that a new day was coming in her life.
Jesus With The Exploited
Svay Pak, the village 11km outside of Phnom Penh notorious for being the pedophile’s paradise is a place where strangely I have come to experience God’s love through the little ones I reconnected with from last year. For it was here that I was confronted with the reality of the statistic that 80% to 100% of the girls in this community are trafficked. Such was the case one Saturday when I learned that within 24 hours one of my little “daughters” was going to be taken to a brothel up north owned by her parents. She had come to the sanctuary of the Lord—Rahab’s House asking for help from the pastor. This time she did not want to go for she knew the fate that awaited her. Each time she had been previously and returned, Pastor Chantha had to take her to a medical clinic for treatment. It is here that both my fear and faith collided. Fear as I thought of the ‘worse’, tears welling up in my eyes, as I sat with her and others, yet ‘faith in Christ’ as we prayed and pleaded for God to intervene. For the first time in my life I felt compelled to fast for the life of this precious one that evening. God’s word to me over night was ‘don’t worry she will be okay.’ Indeed the next day I saw her at the Sunday school program and gave her my cross necklace not only as a symbol of my love for her but more importantly, as a symbol that Christ loves her and that He would never leave her nor forsake her. Praise God, as of this writing she is still safe. Her grandmother who attends Rahab’s House church had refused to let her go, but the tension remains. She remains ‘at risk’ of being sold for sadly she is a ‘favorite’ in the pedophile catalogue. What is it like for a child to live under such a cloud of darkness? I have no answers to this question, but through this process, I am reminded that to love the way Jesus loves, is costly—for it demands that we persevere with an enduring hope despite the visible reality, trusting that in the invisible reality, Christ will be faithful to His promises of protecting the defenseless so that one day, they will terrify no more.
Jesus With The Redeemed
But all is not dark and dismal. For God also is in the business of restoring the years the locusts have eaten from those who have experienced years of sexual slavery. Such was my encounter with 3 of the former victims of the first ever convicted Canadian pedophile/sex tourist Donald Bakker. These special ones are now under the care of a Foster care program that Ratanak funds in Cambodia. I had the awesome privilege of spending a few hours with them, celebrating their birthdays, asking them about their hopes and dreams for the future. They are all believers, doing things that any teenager would do—enjoying junk food, going to youth camp, posing with their favorite stuffed animals, giggling and laughing as they each shared their hopes of being a lawyer, a hip hop instructor, or a business woman. But I was struck by their spiritual maturity as one of them prayed for us and asked that God would use the words that we had prayed for them to touch their hearts deeply. Their story and journey demonstrates the power of Christ to heal, to bind up wounds, to set free and to release new hope and new life. In them, I see evidences of God’s grace restoring and redeeming shattered lives.
Indeed each of these stories are reminders that the oppressed and the brokenhearted will continue to call us out of our comfortable apathy and indifference, just as Christ himself calls us to set aside all that entangles and follow after Him. It is an emotional roller coaster with bitter and sweet moments intertwined, but the poor and the downcast are in need of hope and justice; they need mercy, they need love, they need to know that someone cares, they need to know that they matter and they need our time, even as Jesus seems to tell us that it is we who need their time. For in gaining a glimpse of their darkness, in spending time with them, I become more keenly aware of the words that Henri Nouwen once penned: In these suffering bodies of people we must be able to recognize the suffering Christ. They too are chosen, blessed, broken and given to the world. As we call one another to respond to the cries of these people and work together for justice and peace, we are caring for Christ, who suffered and died for the salvation of our world." In each one of them we not only see Jesus in disguise, but it is the poor and needy who teach us how to love Christ even more. In the cup of cold water delivered to the least of these, He is there among us demonstrating that His power indeed is made perfect in weakness.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
For Every One, There Are Others.....
This morning I received some good news that my little friend SN is doing well. She is still safe and was even helping a friend of mind make pancakes last week. Praise God for her grandmother who is standing up for her. But as I thought of SN, this phrase popped into my mind, for every one rescued or protected or prevented, there are others whose fortune is not so. I am led back to Char's post in Cambodia when she talked about her little friend 'L'. A girl who we all knew when we were doing the VBS in Svay Pak last year. She was beautiful and there was no doubt in our mind that she was at risk or had been already trafficked. I remember 'L' when she first came to our VBS, she never wanted anyone to take photos of her. I think I know why. But as time went by she began to warm up to us and so the photos ensued. Today, I can't help but think of "L'. Why was she not protected? Where is she? What is happening to her? What is she facing? What is she thinking? Questions, many questions as I go for a walk thinking about her. She is just as precious to God as 'SN', she is no different. She deserves freedom, she deserves to have a new life, she deserves protection from the pain that no doubt each day she is enduring. Why does she have to suffer? When will her turn for freedom and hope come? How long God so that she will not have to terrify no more? How long before she can be a chid again. How long?
I dont' have answers to these questions but I am quickly learning that this ministry challenges us at the core of our faith and belief. It is here where the rubber meets the proverbial road. We want our hearts to be broken by the things that break God's heart. We want to see what Jesus sees, we want to feel what Jesus feels...but do we? Are these empty words that we offer up when we sing or say them or do we really mean then. Jesus said 'He is the way'----His way is not often our way but so often He calls us to walk a path we would rather avoid, to go in a direction we would choose not to take left to our own inhibitions. To experience emotions that we would so quickly want to escape from. But that is not the Jesus way. The Jesus way calls us to follow Him with all our heart, soul and mind. The Jesus way calls us to obedience and obedience is costly. There is a cost in following His way. For it may involve pain we would rather not have, it may involve brokenness that we would rather not face, it may involve tears that we are not comfortable shedding. But this is the way of the cross. It cannot be avoided if we truly want to follow Him.
The other day my mum asked me how we could get involved in this minstry when it is so painful. As I think about that question I am left with a simple response: Christ love compels. Christ love compels us to go, Christ love compels us to face the darkness, the pain, the suffering head on. Christ love compels us to do all that we can. Christ love fuels my holy discontent, Christ love compels my passion to speak up for these whose innocence is being traded away like a cell phone upgrade. Christ love compels us to choose a path that is costly. Christ love compels us to live on the edge. There is no other reason but Jesus Christ.
So I think of "L"---I too will be interceding for her because Christ love compels a response. Christ came to seek and save the lost. It is not the healthy that need a doctor but the lost. She is still lost, lost in the abyss of darkness, a darkness that I wish she never had to endure. But Christ love compels me to give a voice to her plight. To speak for her, she maybe lost but she is not forgotten. She has been engraved in the palm of God's hand. Dear Lord, may you engrave her in our hearts that we would be moved to stand in the gap for her and for the many that she represents that are not statistics but that are individuals who have personalities, who have dreams, who have names.
Indeed for every one protected like SN, there are others like L. Let us not grow weary despite the visible reality, despite the difficulties, despite the trials, despite the discouragement. For after all the wrestling with God over these challenges, I come back to the simplest of truths. God is good all the time, all the time God is good. Jesus still reigns and the battle is His. I trust in the knowledge that in His sovereignty He knows where 'L' is and one day, I trust that He will reveal that to us. He has shown us that is possible through another girl who has been on Brian's heart for the past 6 years. These are God's kids, these are His precious ones and so we rest in His faithfulness and give thanks that He has given us the privilege of interceding for them, in keeping their faces in the forefront, in keeping their story alive.
I dont' have answers to these questions but I am quickly learning that this ministry challenges us at the core of our faith and belief. It is here where the rubber meets the proverbial road. We want our hearts to be broken by the things that break God's heart. We want to see what Jesus sees, we want to feel what Jesus feels...but do we? Are these empty words that we offer up when we sing or say them or do we really mean then. Jesus said 'He is the way'----His way is not often our way but so often He calls us to walk a path we would rather avoid, to go in a direction we would choose not to take left to our own inhibitions. To experience emotions that we would so quickly want to escape from. But that is not the Jesus way. The Jesus way calls us to follow Him with all our heart, soul and mind. The Jesus way calls us to obedience and obedience is costly. There is a cost in following His way. For it may involve pain we would rather not have, it may involve brokenness that we would rather not face, it may involve tears that we are not comfortable shedding. But this is the way of the cross. It cannot be avoided if we truly want to follow Him.
The other day my mum asked me how we could get involved in this minstry when it is so painful. As I think about that question I am left with a simple response: Christ love compels. Christ love compels us to go, Christ love compels us to face the darkness, the pain, the suffering head on. Christ love compels us to do all that we can. Christ love fuels my holy discontent, Christ love compels my passion to speak up for these whose innocence is being traded away like a cell phone upgrade. Christ love compels us to choose a path that is costly. Christ love compels us to live on the edge. There is no other reason but Jesus Christ.
So I think of "L"---I too will be interceding for her because Christ love compels a response. Christ came to seek and save the lost. It is not the healthy that need a doctor but the lost. She is still lost, lost in the abyss of darkness, a darkness that I wish she never had to endure. But Christ love compels me to give a voice to her plight. To speak for her, she maybe lost but she is not forgotten. She has been engraved in the palm of God's hand. Dear Lord, may you engrave her in our hearts that we would be moved to stand in the gap for her and for the many that she represents that are not statistics but that are individuals who have personalities, who have dreams, who have names.
Indeed for every one protected like SN, there are others like L. Let us not grow weary despite the visible reality, despite the difficulties, despite the trials, despite the discouragement. For after all the wrestling with God over these challenges, I come back to the simplest of truths. God is good all the time, all the time God is good. Jesus still reigns and the battle is His. I trust in the knowledge that in His sovereignty He knows where 'L' is and one day, I trust that He will reveal that to us. He has shown us that is possible through another girl who has been on Brian's heart for the past 6 years. These are God's kids, these are His precious ones and so we rest in His faithfulness and give thanks that He has given us the privilege of interceding for them, in keeping their faces in the forefront, in keeping their story alive.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
An Update on Bayana - A New Name
Many of you may recall me writing about a 4 day old baby called Bayana that we first met when we were ministering at Daughters (see posting on July 21, 2009). She was diagnosed with spina bifida and had club feet and was brought to Daughters by one of the staff who knew her mother. Bayana's mother a sex worker herself did not want her child. It's one thing to have a healthy baby but to have one that is physically disabled is not an easy task for anyone, muchless someone who lives in a poor country and who has no financial means of supporting her child. It would be so easy to judge her parents but one could only wonder if we were in a similar situation as them, what would we do. How would we respond? Bayana's parents agreed to give her up and so we arranged for Bayana to go to Place of Rescue, an AIDS orphanage funded by our dear friend Marie Ens.
This morning I got a wonderful update about Bayana from Marie. This little one is now called Neang Rua, which means Ruth but "rua" also means 'live", is holding her own. According to Marie, she is at the National Pediatrics hospital and they are giving her good care. The doctors have indicated that they will take care of her problems one at a time. First they need to put a shunt in her head but they want to wait if they can until she is 8 kilos. However they are monitoring her situation and if she needs it done sooner they will do it. Please have everyone keep on praying. She is in the Lord's hands and He has a plan. After the shunt they will do something with her back and finally with her legs.
I feel that we have been privileged to be part of a miracle that is in process as I think of little baby Neang Rua. How her new name is so fitting for this little one who has been given a new life in Christ. Only God could have orchestrated for her to come first to Daughters Cambodia by one of his servants, a young staff member who He has blessed with a heart of compassion for kids. Only God could have made a way when there seemed to be no way and no hope for this baby. After all, Neang Rua was taken initially to this very same hospital by her mother but because her mother was a sex worker the hospital advised her to take Neang Rua back home and just let her die. But God had other plans for Neang Rua. His plans will not be thwarted. He can call forth life where there was none and as I think of Neang Rua, I believe this is what He is doing.
The Lord has not only given her a new name but HE has given to her a new life by virtue of her guardianship with Place of Rescue. In many ways, Neang Rua's life is a reflection of what happens to us when we cross the line of faith and become followers of Jesus. Like her, we have new status, new citizenship in a kingdom that shall not end. Neang Rua has been granted new rights and privileges as a child of God for she bears the mark of the most High and so enters into a whole new world, a world that offers her opportunities that she previously had no access to.
Neang Rua's story reminds me that Jesus does not overlook those who society looks down upon. He indeed is a friend of the sinner, the outcast, the disable, the prostitute, the broken, the persecuted, the rejected, the abandoned, the leper, the unwanted, the marginalized....The world made forget them but He does not. The world may ignore them, but He does not. He welcomes them all and invites them to come as they are so that He can bestow beauty for ashes, joy for mourning in order that they will become a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor. Why God has chosen to rescue Neang Rua over others is a mystery perhaps we will not know for years or maybe until we get to heaven. But I do believe, that He indeed has a special purpose for her life. He has gone to great lengths to preserve her life --- a life I can't help but imagine that will one day testify of His love, His grace, His goodness, His faithfulness and His power.
Dear little Neang Rua, what God has started in you, He will complete. When I first laid eyes on you, you were lying on the floor on a stained pillow covered in a little blanket. But how I praise the Lord that He would grant us the privilege of meeting you. You are His precious bundle of joy that one day will reflect His beauty as you blossom into a beautiful flower in His garden. For just like Jesus was born in a barn, in the most simplest and basic surroundings so were you. I can only dream of what your future will be like as we pray that His kingdom will come into your very little heart.
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